The worst of this is that the torque in the FJ is typical of most gas vehicles in that it peaks at such a high rpm that most of us will never gain access to it. I can't remember where I filed the torque curve chart from the FJ but can tell you that when we drive by the 2K rule (for best mileage) we get just a fraction of the maximum torque. Where this is most noticeable is when using cruise and hitting a slight incline which causes the FJ to drop down at least one or even two gears in order to maintain speed.

I bought a '93 Ford F150 when in college. It had the 300ci inline six engine with a five speed and could lug uphill in fifth at just over thirty mph. I've been a fan of inline engines, which by design produce more torque, ever since.

The 170 ci inline six which was in my '64 Ford Falcon had great lugging ability.

I agree more torque would be nice but not if it includes a particulate filter and urea injection like the HD turbodiesels have now. It's turning out to be a real headache and has hurt their mileage considerably. Maybe someting along the line of Fords ecoboost engine but around 2.5 litres. This combine with a six speed auto might do the trick. It could generate a little more torque than the FJ's 4 litre and would have a flatter torque curve. Ford's 3.6 ecoboost betters their 5.0 liter. With a properly geared 6 speed and good electronic control of the tranny you should be able to achieve pretty good mileage.

I'd rather take the FJ with it's "wimpy" torque-less engine and under-$30k price, than pay >$50k for the Touareg. If you want more torque and can afford it, get the Land Cruiser (or Lexus LX).

The reality is that you can get only what you pay for. Can Toyota make the FJ "better"? Of course, but few will be willing to pay the price. Every engineered product is a compromise between what the engineers would like to put in it, and what the consumers can realistically afford.

The FJ has been around for 6 years by now, it's due for a renewal. No doubt that the next generation FJ will have some improvements. But FJ and Touareg are vehicles in different price categories and they will never be direct competitors.

...I bought a '93 Ford F150 when in college. It had the 300ci inline six engine with a five speed and could lug uphill in fifth at just over thirty mph. I've been a fan of inline engines, which by design produce more torque, ever since.

The 170 ci inline six which was in my '64 Ford Falcon had great lugging ability.

Ah, the Ford 300ci I6. I had a buddy in high school that had one in a mid-80s F-150 and that motor was great for that half-ton truck. My personal love affair with inline six-cylinder engines started with a pair of 280z's. When I wrecked a '77 my Dad and I driveway-swapped out the motor into '76 with a tired engine and I was amazed at how smooth it ran with a lack of back-pressure when we did our first test start. Actually 'lack of back-pressure' is an understatement since we didn't even have the exhaust manifold on it at the time. It was LOUD and glorious, but managed to keep an even idle. When I bought my '97 GTI the decision was all about the engine to me, VW's 15-degree VR6, which made 172hp/173lb-ft. The characteristics of that engine were very much like an inline six and a far cry from all the other cars I drove at the time. That engine is still my benchmark for drivability, smooth revving, and sound. 15yrs on it does feel underpowered compared to most of today's powerplants, but it will still run from walking speed to 96mph in 3rd gear, hit the limiter at 130mph, and get 25-ish MPG after a week of driving it however I want to. Too bad the car fell apart around the motor...

I'm curious to know how "best mileage" is served by keeping the engine in the "2K rule" rpm range - well below the "best torque" range. Flat cruising is understandable, but why would you not want to find better torque range on inclines?

Or is the problem not with the engine but with how the A/T is programmed to shift?

(I own two Dodge/Cummins diesel trucks, so I understand and approve of the advantages of small diesel I6 engines for vehicles like the FJ, by the way.)

How can you compare a turbo VW with an overweight FJ? Have you done any performance upgrades to make up for the extra weight your hauling around? My 07 FJ is a 6M, so its full time 4X4. Check out my dyno specs. It's got plenty of torque....

It is so sad, but true. A while back I provided the Torque to weight ratio of the FJ-C Vs the FJ-40 and the FJ-40 (F2 engine) was the winner, but don't confuse Torque & Power. Agreed torque will give you crawling and hauling guts with the milage you are asking for, but will not give you acceleration. The power does that or the ability to develop torque quickly and have it increase/sustain with RPM. This is why we must maintain the demand for the 2010+ supercharger!

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